


Checking In

by TheArgentWolf



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-30
Updated: 2013-07-30
Packaged: 2017-12-21 21:46:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/905305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArgentWolf/pseuds/TheArgentWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Spoilers for S03E09) Lydia comes to update Cora on what's been happening while she's been out of commission. But is that the real reason she came to see her?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Checking In

Lydia had spent the night in Allison's bed, while Allison took the couch. And of course, Stiles took the floor next to Lydia. Not for any romantic reasons, not this time at least - but because they were all waiting. Waiting for her to do something, to feel something, to acknowledge whether or not there was a death. And with the Sheriff being taken, Stiles hadn't left her alone all night. And even though they were all settled in their place for the night, lying there, Lydia knew none of them had slept. She heard the whispering in the study, coming from Allison and her dad, both trying to work out where the Sheriff was being kept - to try and be a step ahead. Stiles tried to sleep, but it was fitful, and Lydia was sure she heard him plenty of times muttering to himself, trying to keep himself calm. And Lydia? She felt suffocated, on show, a _freak_. And despite everything else going on, she had one person in mind - Cora.

Cora who'd got hurt for someone she loved. Cora, who'd thrown herself at Aiden, knowing she wasn't as strong as him, just wanting to hurt him in even a small way. And Cora who was still lying in the hospital, not healing, and no-one knew why. Derek wasn't at her bedside - as soon as she fell asleep, he'd headed off, trying to hunt down Jennifer and stop her, talk to her, try to un-- no. Lydia didn't want to think about her. She didn't want to think about anything that had happened. If she focused on Cora... Then nothing else mattered.

That was how she'd eventually got out of bed, tiptoed around Stiles, and moved into the hallway. Instantly Allison and Chris came running, just in case she was in a trance, and she rolled her eyes.  
"I didn't realise I was on house arrest." She said sharply - her heels had been abandoned for some of Allison's flats - nowhere near as stylish, but a lot quieter.  
"Where... where were you going?" Allison asked, looking between her and her father.  
"The hospital."  
"Is that--" Lydia shot Chris a tired look, and gritted her teeth.  
"I just want to go to the hospital, does that really have to be a big deal? No deaths, no kidnaps, no _nothing_ I just want to go there.  
"Well, under the circumstances--"  
"Dad, it's okay." Allison said gently, moving over to Lydia's side and bumping her shoulder softly. "I'll drive. Can you call us if you find anything?"  
"...Same goes for you." He said, and Lydia could hear the hesitation in his voice - of releasing the reigns on his daughter, and letting her try things for herself. She just wished her parents cared that much about her. Rubbing her back, Allison led Lydia out to the car. 

The drive was a silent one, Lydia not wanting to go into why she wanted to go there, and Allison hesitant to ask. When they got there, she followed Lydia through the hospital until she saw the room they were heading towards. Her brow furrowed a little, and she positioned herself on the floor outside the room, her legs crossed. Lydia looked at her confused, before realising she was just offering her privacy, and she went into the room.

Cora was still asleep, so Lydia took the seat that Derek had previously occupied, and just sat in it, staring at her. She looked so peaceful, and contrary to what she liked to think of herself, so vulnerable. At that moment in time, Lydia wanted to track down Aiden and tear him to shreds, to verbally assault him for thinking he could take that kind of power away from a girl so, so... Lydia sighed, frustrated at herself - she was never lost for words. Thinking about how she felt, she couldn't blame Cora for thinking it was the right thing to attack him - she was just trying to protect something important to her.

Cora stirred in her sleep, her hand clenching and unclenching, and Lydia slipped her own through it, linking their fingers one-by-one. Cora groaned, wetting her lips.  
"Derek--?"  
"No. Lydia." She shrugged, watching as Cora turned her head towards her, her eyes opening. There was a glazed expression that Lydia tried to ignore, but she couldn't.  
"Where is he?"  
"... Jennifer's the darach." She said, clearing her throat and sitting up a little straighter. Business as usual, Lydia. Nothing emotional, just facts. Facts are always better than emotions. "So that's awesome. Really going to make English class just bunches of fun. He's gone to find her, Isaac and Scott are out looking too."  
"Lydia--"  
"She killed the last philosopher. Another teacher, actually. And she took Stiles' dad, so... you can imagine how things are at the moment. Which reminds me, I should definitely get Allison to check that Mrs. McCall is working tonight. Scott'd probably wanna know she was okay."  
 _"Lydia--"_  
"Oh and, before I forget, she tried to kill me, too. Jennifer, that is, not Mrs. McCall."  
"Lydia, you don't have to--"  
"Oh, but she did tell me what I am. I'm a banshee, apparently. Which you know, is awesome. If Stiles wasn't so cut up right now, he'd probably be poking and prodding me, and going on a research hunt as we speak."  
"Lydia, just _shut up_." Cora snapped at last, tiredly rolling her eyes. "I'm tired."  
"You can go back to sleep."  
"That's not what I mean." She sighed, and she closed her eyes for a second, her chest tightening as she fought not to start coughing. Her frame shook with the effort, and Lydia jumped to her feet, grabbing a spit tray, and rubbing Cora's back. Finally she succombed, coughing, and black ooze splattered into the carboard tray. Her breathing shallow, she closed her eyes, lying back against the pillows again. Lydia stared at the tray, not even sure what to do with it, before putting it down on the floor.

"Sit back up." She said, and Cora stared at her, but without the energy to argue, she did as she was told, and Lydia busied herself with repositioning the pillows so that Cora was sitting up. "Basic biology. Whatever that crap is, if you're lying down, it's gonna move into your airways. Did they really not think this through?"  
"Thank you."  
"Why? Like I said - it's basic."  
"That's not what I mean."  
"Can you stop being confusing for one second?"  
"Can you stop being stubborn?" Argued Cora, raising an eyebrow weakly. She closed her eyes again, but moved her hand towards Lydia, who took it without argument. "I know why you're here."  
"You deserved to know what's going on, it's that simple."  
"You don't want to talk about the darach, or Stiles, or Jennifer, or you being a banshee... Otherwise you'd be talking about it. Lydia Martin... always focuses. Is always smart, so I hear. So if that was what was really wrong... You'd talk about it. Not skim over it." Lydia didn't answer - somehow, this girl had managed to make her speechless, and she hated it. Kind of. Neither spoke for a long time, Lydia stroking Cora's hand, unconsciously, and Cora pretending she couldn't feel it.

"I was so scared." Lydia said at last, and Cora opened her eyes again. The evenness of Cora's breathing, Lydia knew she hadn't fallen asleep - she meant for her to hear it.  
"How about we pretend this is another one of those things we just don't talk about? I'm never gonna get used to you sounding like you give a crap." Said Cora, smiling slightly to show she didn't mean it maliciously. Lydia smiled too, understanding the sentiment - two women of stone, neither wanting the other to know they saw the other's cracks. Instead, Lydia moved in, and brushed a kiss to the other girl's lips.  
"You gonna be okay? You taste like tar."  
"Go home, Lydia."  
"No mouthwash? Really?"  
"You'd better hope I get out of here in one piece." She looked at her again, and Lydia smirked.  
"Oh? And why is that?"  
"Well sweetheart... I've still got to show you that you don't know how to handle a werewolf, don't I?"


End file.
